Educational toy



A. L. MACKINTOSH. EDUCATIONAL TQY. APPLICATION FILED 'NOV. 25, 1918.

Patented Aug. 17 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

I V6.0. GHQ (ma a UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

ALEXANDER L. MACKINTOSH, or DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF To .DAVID R. RIDDICK, or nAwLms, WYOMING.

EPUCATIONAL TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 17, 1920;

Application filed November 25, 1918 Serial No. 264,051.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER L. MACK- INTOSII, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Educational Toys; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its principal object to provide a simply constructed and inexpensive toy which will be educational to the children using the same, due to the fact that a number of blocks are employed having numbers or letters, or both thereon, to he slid down a number of chutes over corresponding letters or numbers on the bottoms of such chutes. i

. A further object is to provide for the compact folding of the device for shipment, and to require little space in stores when placed on sale, as. well as in the home.

WVith the foregoing objects in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and unique arrangements of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device set up for use.

Fig. 2 discloses perspective view of opposite sides of the block holding tray and its supporting board.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of, the device in position for use.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the device folded.

Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sections on the planes indicated by the lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 discloses perspective views of the opposite sides of one of the blocks.

Fig. 8 illustrates in perspective the opposite sides of one of the strips of. cardboard or the like placed in the bottoms of the chutes.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral .1 designates a rectangular base board having an upstanding flange 2 around its edge, 3 refers to an inclined board having a similar flange i around its edge, 5 designates a platform at the upper end of the board 3 and provided with a flange 6,

- and 7 indicates a vertical board for supporting the platform 5. i

. Ihe inclined board 3 rests on one end of board 1 against its flange 2 and the upper end of said board 3 is detachably connected with the forward edge of the platform 5, while the rear edge of. the latter ishinged at 8 to the supporting board 7 which rests upon the base board 1, at the end of the latter opposite the lower end of the board 3. A brace 9 is pivoted to the board 7 and at 10 is detachablyconnected with the board 5 so as to properly hold the two in right angular relation for use as seen in Fig. 1. Any suitable detachable connection may beemployed between the boards 3 and 5, but I prefer to form tongues 11 on the front edge of the latter .for reception in slots 12 in the flange f at the upper end, of board 3.

The upper side of board 3 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal chutes divided by ribs 13 suitably formed on said board, and strips 1 1 of cardboard or the like are preferably placed in the bottoms of theseveral chutes, one sideof each strip 1 f having letters of the alphabet thereon as indicated at 15 (see Figs. 1 and 8), while the other side of the str p is provided with figures as indicated at 16 in Fig. 8. All letters of the alphabet are preferably used and twenty-six'figures are also employed. In some instance, the cardboard strips let might be dispensed with, in which instance the letters or figures could be painted on the bottoms of the chutes. y Aplurality of blocks 17 are provided to he slid down the several chutes, one side of each block having a letter of the alphabet thereon as indicated at 18 (see Figs. 1. and 7) 'while the other side of the block is provided-with a'numeral 19 as disclosed most clearly in Fig. 7. The letters 18 run from A to Z and the numerals 19 from 1 to 26.

The blocks 17 are placed upon the platform board 5 and if desired the latter may be provided with a plurality of troughs for their reception, said troughs being formed between. ribs 20 011 said board. It is intended that the child or children using the device shall pick out a block from the platform displaying the same character (figure or number) as the lowermost character at the bottom of one of the chutes, and that such block shall then he slid down the chute over the selected character. This operation maybe repeated until all of the characters in one chute are covered, after which the .otherchutes may be used. By providing the reversible strips 14 and the blocks 17 with numerals on one side and letters of the alphabet .on the other, the child may be taught the letters of the alphabet and then numerals from 1 to 26. The device is not only amusing but is highly educational since it teaches the child to recognize the letters and numerals at a glance.

WVhcn the device is not in use, it may be folded as shown in Fig. 5. In so folding the toy,' the tongues 11 are withdrawn from the slots 12 and thebrace bar 9 is discon- 'nected from the :platform -5, thus permitting'said platform and its supporting board 7' to be swung upon the hinges 8 into alinement; These parts may then be placed in the box formed by the board 3 and its flange 41-, and the base board 1 with its flange 2 then acts as a cover. The'article is thus in extremely compact form for shipment,

to be placed on sale or to occupy little s'p'acein the'nursery or home. Since probably the best results are obtained from the details shown and described, such details arerpreferably followed, but Within the scope rality of blocks adapted to be slid along said chute over said characters, the opposite sides of .said blocks bearing characters corresponding to those aforesaid.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1,

the upper end of said chute having a flange provided with a slot, a platform to support the blocks prior to their use, said platform having a tongue removably received in said slot, and a support movably connected to said platform.

4. An educational toy comprising a base board provided at its edge with an upstanding flange, aninclincd board having a plurality of chutes on its upper side and equipped along its edge with an upwardly extending flange, the bottoms of said chutes displaying educational characters. a platform connected detachably with the upper end of said inclined board, a plurality of blocks supported normally on said platform and displaying educational characters corresponding to those aforesaid, said blocks being adapted to he slid down said chutes, a vertical board hinged at its upper end to the rear edge of said platform, the lower end of said-supporting board resting on one end of said base board and the lower end of said inclined board resting on the other end thereof, said platform and supporting board being receivable within the flange of said inclined board when detached from the latter, said base board then forming a cover for the entire device.

5. An educational toy comprising an inclined board provided on its upper side with a plurality of chutes having educational characters 011 their bottoms, a plurality of blocks adapted to be slid down said chutes and bearing characters corresponding to those aforesaid, a horizontal platform extending from the upper end of said inclined board and adapted to normally support said blocks, and a leg member depending from said platform, said leg member and the lower end of said inclined board being adapted to rest on a horizontal surfacev to support the entire device.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALEXANDER L. MAOKINTUSH. 

